Chapter 483 - 470: Little Schemes
As Cheng Xiaoxiao spoke like this, Sikong Yinlong became even more stifled.
The intent to kill her had been fleeting, after all, he had never really thought of killing the variable. If the variable died by his hand, this world would truly be doomed.
It was just dissatisfaction with her arrogance and unwillingness to cooperate with the Sikong Family that irked him greatly.
There was no use in saying these things now, he hadn’t expected to be the one to lose.
Compared to Cheng Xiaoxiao’s elated mood, Sikong Yinlong’s face was full of gloom; the two of them were like extremes.
"Since we’re all on the same side, why fight and kill, ruining the harmony?"
Cheng Xiaoxiao smiled joyfully. Not only had she resolved the biggest problem, but she had also caught a powerful fighter, making for a good day’s work.
As she conversed, she used her goggles’ communication function to relay the message to the people in the Underground City. It was something she had discussed with Second Brother before leaving— he needed to monitor the battle situation outside at all times to be at ease.
In the nearby tunnel to the Underground City, Cheng Hao immediately knew about the situation outside, letting out a huge sigh of relief, and quickly arranged for everyone to return to the Underground City. Otherwise, if the other party entered the city and saw no one, it would surely arouse suspicion.
For now, the underground cave couldn’t be known to outsiders, as it was their secret base that needed to be kept tightly closed.
Crisis after crisis was quietly resolved.
Sikong Yinlong stayed reluctantly in Phoenix City, while his subordinates withdrew one after another.
Such a big matter had to be reported to those self-righteous old guys in the Sikong Family, right?
Heh, just thinking about their faces turning as dark as the bottom of a pot upon hearing the news and cursing her, Cheng Xiaoxiao could hardly resist setting off firecrackers in celebration.
Reunited with everyone, Cheng Xiaoxiao was surrounded by a crowd at this moment.
Hmm! All were words of concern, and the gazes were full of heartache.
With a mixture of reproachful, joyful, and excited emotions interwoven, it made her nose slightly tingly.
Everyone missed her a lot.
Especially Brother Jia, who had held her hand and never let go.
It feels great to have someone who cares and thinks about you.
In the evening, the whole family sat around the table, ready to enjoy a relatively sumptuous dinner.
"Being away from the city for so long, do you know how worried you made your father and them?"
"No matter how busy, you should have sent a message back. Did you want to worry everyone to death?"
"You don’t know how many times Erya cried secretly, and every time Brother Jia went to your room, he would sit for one or two hours."
"Even the little one knows you’re not around, making meals tasteless, causing a fuss every few days."
After being back for an hour or two, she had been bombarded by Aunt and Eldest Sister-in-law taking turns, making her so guilty that she could barely lift her head. If they continued, she’d have a breakdown.
"It’s good that you’re back, let’s eat, let’s eat." Cheng Qiang couldn’t take it anymore, seeing his wife and sister were about to scold her into tears.
Leading by example, he was the first to pick up the chopsticks.
"Alright, alright, alright, I’ll listen to you from now on, I promise not to act recklessly." Cheng Xiaoxiao helplessly begged for mercy a few times, hurriedly picking up her chopsticks to eat.
She was really starving.
"Look at your impatience, you must have suffered a lot outside; your face has thinned." Cheng Yong said, distressed for his daughter, quickly putting food into her bowl.
"Big sister worked the hardest, big sister, eat meat." Cheng Jia also picked food for Cheng Xiaoxiao, being exceptionally obedient.
"Meat, meat!" Little Cheng Hongyi, hearing his brother talk about eating meat, joined in on the fun beside him.
Waving the wooden spoon in his hand vigorously forward, with crystal-clear drool hanging at the corner of his mouth, and his little legs bouncing up and down, looking quite comical.
Making everyone burst into laughter.
"Little one has grown chubby, come, let sister give you a hug!"
Cheng Xiaoxiao opened her arms, and Little Cheng Hongyi immediately extended his short arms, grinning widely, extremely delighted.
"Eat, eat, eat."
He stuffed the empty spoon in his hand toward Cheng Xiaoxiao’s mouth.
"After not seeing for a few months, Brother Yi still recognizes Xiaoxiao, and generously shares his food; it’s really rare." Cheng Chudong shook her head and sighed, having taken care of the little one daily, never seen him treat her as well, truly a heartless guy.
Li Qiuchan smiled gently, "Indeed, Xiaoxiao is his reborn parent. This little guy, don’t look at him as smaller than one hundred, he’s clever, with strong mimicry ability, and his articulation has become much clearer too."
Cheng Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, thinking: Of course, he’s the Crown Prince, the son of dragon-born dragons and phoenix-born phoenixes, naturally, with outstanding talents.
"Mom, I like Brother Bai better. Little Yi always disrupts me while I do my homework, even tearing up the assignments given by the tutor." Cheng Ran pouted discontentedly, eyes filled with anger, with traces of jealousy mingled in, as if he was ready to retaliate at any time.
"How can you, as a brother, be biased? Brother Yi is just a bit naughty; he’s still small. When he grows older and can understand your words, he will naturally be obedient. Brother Ran should treat everyone equally." Liu Juan patted her son’s furry head, looking at him with affection, teaching with earnest care.
Cheng Hao put down his chopsticks and said sternly, "Brother Ran, kind words warm a cold winter, harsh words hurt like a summer chill. If Brother Yi grows up and understands, and these words of dislike and the looks of disdain get engraved in his heart, how would you, as an uncle, conduct yourself?"
Cheng Ran’s little heart shuddered. Speaking quickly again and being caught by Second Brother really made him unlucky!
He dared not meet Second Brother’s eyes, drooping his head, nervously twisting his little hands under the table, thinking of excuses.
"I, I, I know I was wrong."
"Only the small-minded hold grudges, while a gentleman is grateful. Though we are not a scholarly family, with everyone virtuous and talented, we must live uprightly, open-hearted, never being calculating, nor harboring malicious intentions. Even if we plot, it should be against outsiders, the wicked ones."
Cheng Hao hadn’t missed the flash of jealousy in Brother Ran’s eyes, taking the opportunity to give a good lesson, to prevent him from going down the wrong path in the future.
"Alright, Brother Ran is still young, just complaining a bit, and you’ve really started lecturing." Liu Juan looked at her second son with displeasure.
Cheng Xiaoxiao inadvertently glanced at Cheng Ran, the younger brother she hadn’t paid much attention to before.
Thinking back, it was his life she had brought back with great effort.
How had he become a bit sharp-tongued after just a few months apart?
Noticing the host’s thoughts, the system immediately chimed in, "Host, you don’t know, ever since the little one came, he received unanimous affection from everyone; many delicious and fun things are biased towards the two little ones. Maybe Brother Ran feels a bit unbalanced. Oh, yeah, once when he saw the little one in swaddling clothes, he even said something like, ’You’re not even real, why come to our house to steal my affection.’ He then went over to pinch the little one’s cheeks, successfully making him cry out loud. When the adults came, he said the little nephew was hungry and ran off."
’Oh! There was such a thing; why didn’t you say it then?’ Cheng Xiaoxiao asked suspiciously.
"It was just minor squabbling among children, I wasn’t bored enough to bother with it," the system said, dismissing it at the time.